Overseas Mails

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23370, 9 December 1937, Page 10

Overseas Mails

The Waitaki sailed from Sydney for Wellington on Sunday with five bags of Australian mail for Dunedin This mail should reach the local office on Saturday. Justifiable False Alarm The City Fire Brigade responded to a justifiable false alarm from Thomas’s butcher's shop, Stuart street, at 7.13 last night. Licensing Committee It was not necessary to hold the quarterly sitting of the South Dunedin Licensing Committeee yesterday morning, as there was no business to transact. Burnside Stock Sale The marked easing in the price of fat cattle at the Burnside stock sale a week ago was partly recovered yesterday. when good , quality cattle brought from 15s to £1 more than at the previous sale. There were 254 head entered, only a few trucks of best quality being included. Mediumweight bullocks failed to improve, but other classes were much firmer. Extra prime bullocks made to £lB 2s 6d; prime, £l6 5s to £l7 12s 6d; medium, £ll 17s 6d to £l3 2s 6d; light, down to £9 7s 6d; prime heavy cows and heifers, £lO to £l2 2s 6d; medium, £6 7s 6d to £7 17s 6d; and light, down to £4 10s. The price per 1001 b showed a general improvement, extra prime bullocks being quoted at £2 Is; prime, £1 18s; prime cows and heifers, £1 17s; and poorer quality, £1 11s, A pen of outstanding four-year store steers brought £9 6s. There were 1487 fat sheep forward, with some good heavy wethers included, but few heavy ewes. Prime heavy wethers were worth to £1 9s 3d; prime £1 6s 3d to £1 8s 3d; medium, £1 3s to £1 4s; light, down to 19s; extra prime heavy ewes, to £1 7s 6d; prime, £1 Os 6d to £1 3s 3d; medium; 17s 3d to 19s 3d; and light, down to 10s. Over 140 fat lambs were offered, and in keen competition extra prime heavy sorts made to £1 11s 3d; prime heavy, £1 6s 3d to £1 8s 9d; and medium, £1 2s to £1 4s 9d. All classes in the pig entry brought better prices than last week. Heavy baconers made to £4 13s; porkers, £2 10s to £3 10s; and large stores about £1 15s. Fair Rents Act

In reply to a telegram from it protesting against the passing of the clause in the Fair Rents Act making it compulsory for landlords to provide suitable accommodation for evicted tenants, the Otago branch of the Real Estate Institute has received a communication from the Postmastergeneral (Mr F. Jones) stating that he had referred the institute’s telegram to the Minister of Finance (Mr Nash), who had asked the writer to assure the Real Estate Institute that the Government had given careful consideration to its representations, and had also had a very full discussion with three representatives of the New Zealand Real Estate Institute before the Bill went through the Upper House. After giving the utmost consideration to all the claims made on behalf of the institute, the Government remained convinced that the desperate hardship being suffered by evicted tenants made the necessity for the passing of the amendment essential and urgent. '

Engine Derailed at Gore A collision between a shunting engine and the engirfe of a goods train in the Goro railway yards about 10 o’clock yesterday morning resulted in considerable dislocation of traffic. The goods train was proceeding from a side track on to the main line to Dunedin, and, because of a failure of the points, the shunting engine crashed into the side of the other engine with considerable impact. The former was dragged along the track for a distance of 20 feet, eventually coming to rest on the side of the line with its nose deeply embedded in the gravel. A breakdown gang was immediately assembled, but some two hours elapsed before the locked engines were parted and the track finally cleared. Interest in Athletics

“Amateur athletics are dying out in New Zealand, and in 10 years lime they will probably be dead.” was the statement made by a member at i meeting of the committee of the New Plymouth Amateur Athletic and Cycling Club. The subject was viewed seriously by the committee, the members of which asked themselves the question: “If young fellows are, not becoming interested in amateur athletics what is wrong with those of us who are trying to run the sport?” An indictment of athletes generally was made by one member, who expressed an opinion emphatically that most of the men who did take part in athletics were not trained, and would not tram

Two Official Languages That South Africa has two official languages—English and Afrikaans, or Cape Dutch—and that every effort is made to maintain an impartial balance between them, is shown by mail received in Christchurch from South Africa this week. Where the stamp is cancelled by a single postmark, as on parcels, the mark bears the name Kaapstad (the Afrikaans form) as well as Capetown, and where the mark is on a wavy stamp, as on letters, the Afrikaans name and the English name appear in alternate circles. Even the stamps are bi-lingual. One letter bears a penny stamp where the name of the country is given in Afrikaans —Suid Afrika. On another it is in English.

Far Eeest Relief Fund

At a meeting of the Red Cross Appeal Committee it was reported that (he sum of £843 was in hand from Dunedin subscribers to the Far East Relief Fund., The objective of the appeal is to'raise £IOOO.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease A full discussion took place at a recent meeting of the Auckland Jersey Club on the question of allowing the present restrictions on imported cattle to be relaxed in any way, and tHe feeling was emphatic against this course. Members realised the vital importance nf keeping the Dominion free from the scourge of foot-and-mouth disease. It was decided to forward the following resolution to the Minister of Agriculture, the New Zealand Jersey Association. and the Auckland A. and P. Association:—“The Auckland Jersey Club strongly objects to any alterations being made regarding the present regulations in force, and that, in order to obtain a true opinion of those having so much at stake, a referendum of all farmers owning cattle be taken.”

Singapore’s Vulnerability “ I do not think that is at all likely,” said Mr Khoo Teik, barrister, of Singapore, who is at present in Wellington, when General Sir lan Hamilton’s cabled opinion on the vulnerability of Singapore by land attack from the north was mentioned to him. Mr Teik said it was known that there were now splendid roads through the Malay Peninsula from the north, but it had to be remembered that the Malay States were more than 100 miles away from the nearest Japanese base, and it could not be very well imagined that invading operations on a large scale as would be essential to take Singapore, could be initiated unobserved. Mr Teik said that England was now strong once more, and the big naval base at Singapore was almost completed. The air forces were being greatly strengthened, and an airport for planes and flying boats had recently been completed at a cost of £600.000.

Faster than Normandie While H.M.S. Achilles, flagship of the New Zealand Station, was steaming up the east coast of the North Island on her full-power trials, she attained a speed of approximately 31 knots The great speed through the water (almost a third again as fast as the Awatea on her record-breaking efforts in the Tasman Sea) raised a stern wash parallel with the vessel’s flush quarterdeck. In practically any merchant ship the high rate of speed would create an unpleasant vibration, but that was not noticeable on board the Achilles. Her estimated 31 knots, which,was maintained for two hours, was a trifle better than the speed averaged by the giant French transatlantic flyer Normandie on both east and west record crossings. Hand Bitten by Shark

A severe injury to the hand was suffered by Mr Norman Williams, of Rehia, at Tinopai, over the week-end, when he was bitten by a young shark, which had been landed an hour before and was thought to have been killled by a rifle bulllet. Two sharks were caught in the vicinity of the wharf. One was 10 feet 3 inches in length and the other 8 feet 6 inches. The smaller fish was shot when landed, and it was over an hour later when, while adjusting a short stick in its mouth preparatory to a photograph being taken, Mr Williams, sen., had his left hand caught. The combined strength of two men was required before the fish could be made to release its grip. No time was then lost in making sure that it was killed. Mr Williams’s hand was very severely torn, necessitating 11 stitches. The shark was very similar to the mako species.

Springboks’ Reception An indication of South African reaction to the results of the matches played by the Springboks in New Zealand was given by Major J. R, Kirk, Lower Hutt, who returned 'by • the Awatea after an extensive tour of South Africa. He said the result of the first test was received with almost general and painful silence, broken only by the apologists with their various excuses for the dreadful and surprising outcome. But for the following tests, no South African had any doubts. “The team is invincible; it cannot be beaten,” one enthusiastic supporter said, and that really summed up the general opinion and belief. The team went home like heroes of old to receive the laurels awaiting it. Children’s Health Camp

Physical examinations to select children for admission to the Community Sunshine Association’s health camp at Motuihi, Auckland, are now being carried out in Auckland and suburbs by Health Department doctors. The camp will open on December 21, and during the summer it is hoped to accommodate between 1250 and 1500 children, which will be a record for the association. During the. school holidays of six weeks three batches of city children, each numbering about 150, will be sent to Motuihi for a fortnight. Formerly, the period has been three weeks, but a change has been necessary in order to accommodate the larger numbers this year. When the schools reopen, batches of children from the country will be admitted, the camp period in their case being three weeks.

The Railways Department advertises the calling of tenders for the nurchase of a house at Waitati Cliffs.

Applications from medical practitioners are being invited by the Joint Council of the Order of St. John and New Zealand Red Cross Society for service in China. Salary, travelling expenses and equipment is provided. Details are advertised elsewhere.

Tenders are invited by the Public Works Department for the supply of a motor lorry (50cwt). Details are advertised in this issue. We have received 17s from “ Patearoa ” towards the Far East Relief 'Fund. We stock the best and highest class Fishing Tackle, Electrical Supplies of every description, Wireless Valves and Accessories. We keep a competent staff of electricians for electrical jobbing and contracting.—Barth Electric. Ltd.. 36 George street, Dunedin.—Advt. Eye Strain.—For eye comfort or bet ter vision consul! Slurmer and Watson Ltd., opticians. 2 Octagon. Dunedin.— Advt.

A. E. J. Blakeley and VV. E. Bagley dentists, Bank of Australasia, corner of Bond and Rattray streets (next Telegraph Office). Telephone 12-359 - Advt.